


The Dare

by EstherA2J



Category: Mortal Instruments Series - Cassandra Clare, Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Human, Based on a Tumblr Post, Dare, Embarrassment, M/M, Meet-Cute
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-01
Updated: 2016-04-01
Packaged: 2018-05-30 14:15:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 693
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6427228
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EstherA2J/pseuds/EstherA2J
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>For the Tumblr prompt: “my friends dared me to buy 20 condoms but i didn’t realize that the cute cashier would be working tonight so i avoided eye contact as i piled them onto the counter and please stop laughing so hard, oh my god it’s for a dare okay i’ve never had sex in my life and once you stopped laughing, i swear i fell in love with that sparkle in your eye as you grinned wildly at me and asked me out for a drink" found <a href="http://estherthewordartist.tumblr.com/post/141452178149/more-au-ideas-no-one-asked-for">here</a>.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Dare

Alec dumped the boxes onto the counter, his ears heating almost painfully as they toppled off of one another, clattering like he’d dropped a handful of cutlery into a metal bowl. Or maybe it only sounded like that inside his head.  _ Why _ was he doing this again?

As the last tiny, extremely conspicuous box came to a standstill, Alec risked a glance at the cashier. Dark eyes danced over the array of merchandise, then darted up to meet his own. Even white teeth bit down on a soft full lower lip as the cashier reached out to scan the first box, his voice carefully casual as he asked, “Find everything all right?”

Oh God, Alec was going to  _ kill _ Jace and Izzy. “Yeah,” he mumbled, his eyes darting back and forth, trying to find something to fasten on. Something other than the  _ twenty boxes of condoms _ he was buying.

“Having a party?” the unfairly attractive cashier asked, one eyebrow raised, and Alec decided that killing Jace and Izzy would have to wait. He was going to die right here of embarrassment.

“No!” he blurted. “These are… it’s a dare. I’ve never… I mean, I don’t…” He trailed off, his face burning. God, Alec, shut  _ up _ .

The harsh fluorescent lighting reflected off the glitter swept across the cashier’s eyelids, adding to the sparkle in their brown depths. Most people looked pale and ghastly under such light, but he… didn’t. In fact, he was quite possibly the most beautiful person Alec had ever seen. Which really made this so much worse.

Long elegant fingers carefully picked up each box, turning it over to examine it before scanning. Was he taking this long on  _ purpose? _ Alec tried to glare at him, but he just couldn’t. How was it legal for someone to be so attractive?

“It’s okay, really.” Even with suppressed laughter in his voice, the cashier still managed to sound kind. His smile was gentle now, with no hint of mocking censure.

Alec swallowed hard, dropping his gaze again. His eyes were caught by the cashier’s name tag: Magnus. That wasn’t a name you heard every day. Searching for something to say, he gestured vaguely toward it. “Your name is Magnus?”

White teeth flashed in a brilliant smile. “Yep. That’s me.”

“I’m Alec.” He ran a hand through his unruly hair and rubbed at the back of his neck. Now why had he said that? People didn’t usually go around offering their names to cashiers in convenience stores. Except that this was not a usual occurrence, at least not for him. And it just felt right.

“Alec.” His name sounded surprisingly good on Magnus’ lips. “Alexander.” There was a slight question on the full name.

“Yeah.” Alec shrugged. His full name usually sounded pretentious to him, but somehow, when Magnus said it, it sounded… right.

Dropping the last box into a plastic bag, Magnus punched up the total with a flourish. “Will that be cash, debit, or credit today?”

“Debit please.” Alec fumbled his card out of his wallet, and passed it over the Flash reader. As it beeped, he tried to think of something else to say, some way to keep this conversation going without looking like a complete idiot. Well, more than he already did.

Magnus pulled the receipt free and, instead of handing it over, laid it on the counter and grabbed a pen. “This is my number,” he said, writing on the back of the paper. “Call me.”

“I… uh…” Alec took the receipt with trembling fingers, staring open mouthed at the inked digits. Say  _ something _ , Alec!

“Hey.” Magnus leaned forward and laid a hand over Alec’s, sending a jolt of electricity up his arm. “I’m off at 9 if you wanna go grab a coffee or something.”

“O–okay.” Trying to keep his breathing steady, Alec met Magnus’ eyes, and couldn’t look away. “That sounds… great. Really nice.”

Slowly straightening, Magnus trailed his fingertips over Alec’s hand as he pulled back. “I look forward to it.”

“Yeah. I—me too.” Flashing Magnus a smile, Alec grabbed his bags and fled. He’d be back though. He wouldn’t miss it for anything.

**Author's Note:**

> You can find me on Tumblr at [estherthewordartist](http://estherthewordartist.tumblr.com/).


End file.
